LATE-GAME STRATEGY A WINNER FOR SDSU THIS TIME

After falling short vs. Air Force, Aztecs find winning formula

Fresno St. at Aztecs

When: 3 p.m. Saturday

Where: Viejas Arena

On the air: CBS Sports Network/600-AM, 101.5-FM

Same situation. Different approaches.

Different results.

On Saturday the Aztecs trailed Air Force by three points with 19 seconds left, went for a tying 3-pointer, missed twice and lost. On Wednesday they trailed Boise State by three with 19 seconds left, went for a two-pointer, fouled and won 63-62 on a last-second 3 by Chase Tapley.

“If the truth was to be told,” coach Steve Fisher said, “that was our initial thought against Air Force, too, to push it and get a quick two.”

But after Falcons forward Kamryn Williams made both free throws for a 70-67 lead, the Aztecs were slow getting the ball upcourt and, sensing insufficient urgency from his players, Fisher called timeout with 14 seconds to go. And with Air Force now having a chance to set its defense after the timeout, the strategy switched to a tying 3.

A play was diagramed for James Rahon, but Franklin ultimately launched a 3 off the dribble. JJ O’Brien got the rebound and kicked it out to Rahon, whose 3 also missed at the buzzer.

The difference against Boise State?

Fisher called timeout immediately after the Aztecs got the ball back, down three, with 19 seconds to go.

“So everybody knew,” he said. “It was a better job of communicating our thoughts in this game. And Jamaal did a great job of just lowering his head and going as hard as he could to get to that rim.”

His layup made it 61-60 with 13.5 seconds left. The instructions during the timeout were to face guard everyone but forward Kenny Bruckner on the ensuing inbounds, hoping the Broncos passed to the career 59.3 percent free thrower who had not attempted one all game, and immediately foul him.

“We couldn’t do that,” Fisher said. “They threw it right to the guy they wanted to get the ball to.”

That was guard Derrick Marks, who entered the night having made 25 of his last 27 free throws and leading the Mountain West at 87 percent. He made the first, missed the second.

Franklin got the rebound and raced down court, almost identically to his scoring play a few seconds earlier. The Broncos were ready for him, though.

“We did a great job cutting off Franklin going to the basket,” Boise State coach Leon Rice said. “It was a loose ball, and I think he knocked it out. It just seemed like the clock ran forever. It went to Tapley, and he’s a big-shot maker.”

Thames update

The plan for Xavier Thames and his bad back after a lengthy meeting with doctors and trainers: sit out the Boise State game with the intention to play Saturday against Fresno State, giving him a full two weeks since he last suited up.

“That’s what he’s hoping,” Fisher said. “I would say I’m cautiously — underline cautiously — optimistic. He still hasn’t done anything live. But he had a long talk with the doctor. His dad talked to the doctor. The plan is to see if we can push the envelope a little bit and have him go through hard warm-ups Saturday and, if he feels OK, play him just a little bit. It might be for short bursts, but the plan is to play him on Saturday.”